Apparatus And Method For Producing A Locking Ring On A Closure Cap For A Container

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a locking ring on a closure cap for a container is disclosed. The apparatus includes a stationary fixture for a cutting knife having a cutting blade accommodated by the fixture and extending along a cutting section; and a transport installation for transporting a support mandrel along the cutting section, wherein the support mandrel is adapted for supporting a shell of a closure cap blank in such a manner that the shell during a cutting procedure is rolled on the cutting blade. The support mandrel has a rotatable mounting by way of which the support mandrel is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis oriented perpendicularly to the cutting section. The fixture is adapted to accommodate at least one cutting knife in a first and second configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for producing a locking ring on a closure cap for a container, comprising:
 a stationary fixture configured to accommodate at least one cutting knife and comprising a cutting blade extending extends along a cutting section;   a transport installation configured to transport a support mandrel along the cutting section, wherein the support mandrel is configured to support at least one of a shell of a closure cap blank and a shell internal side such that the shell, during a cutting procedure, rolls on the cutting blade, and wherein the support mandrel comprises a rotatable mounting configured to mount the support mandrel such that the mandrel rotates about a rotation axis oriented perpendicularly to the cutting section; and   
       wherein,
 the stationary fixture is configured to accommodate at least one cutting knife in a first configuration wherein the cutting blade comprises a first radial position relative to a path of the support mandrel and in a second configuration wherein the cutting blade comprises a second radial position relative to the path of the support mandrel, and 
 wherein a radial distance of the cutting blade from a path of the support mandrel is larger in the second position than in the first position; 
 the support mandrel includes at least one section running around a circumferential surface of the support mandrel in an angular range, wherein the section is made of a cuttable material; 
 in the first configuration, the cutting blade of the at least one cutting knife is configured and arranged to engage with the cuttable material of the at least one section of the support mandrel so as to create a lasting groove in the cuttable material; 
 in the second configuration, the cutting blade of the at least one cutting knife is configured and arranged to engage with the shell of the closure cap blank to generate a slot geometry in the shell of the closure cap; and 
 the apparatus further comprises a synchronizing installation by means of which an advancing movement of the transport installation along the cutting section is able to be synchronized with a rotating movement of the support mandrel about the rotation axis. 
 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary fixture is further configured to accommodate the cutting knife in different radial positions relative to the path of the support mandrel. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary fixture further comprises an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a radial position of the fixture relative to the path of the support mandrel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a radial distance of the cutting blade in the second configuration from the cutting blade in the first configuration is 0.1-0.5 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional geometry of a cutting edge of the cutting blade is tapered. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cuttable material is a polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the cuttable material is polyether ether ketone. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one section made of the cuttable material comprises a single ring arranged circumferentially on the support mandrel. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one circumferential recess is arranged adjacent to the ring. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein two circumferential recesses are arranged adjacent to the ring, one on each side of the ring. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot geometry comprises portions which in relation to the rotation axis of the support mandrel extend at an angle of less than 90°. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cutting knife comprises a plurality of cutting blades arranged in the direction of the rotation axis of the support mandrel at least one of one on top of one another and at least in partial overlap. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot geometry is defined by at least 1.25 revolutions of the support mandrel about its rotation axis, and wherein a geometry of the groove of the support mandrel corresponds to a superimposition of the slot geometry during the at least 1.25 revolutions. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transport installation is configured as a rotary table, wherein a plurality of support mandrels are disposed along a circumference of the rotary table, and in that the cutting blade of the cutting knife extends along the circumference of the rotary table. 
     
     
         15 . A method for producing a closure cap for a container, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a cutting knife with a cutting blade, wherein a cutting edge profile of the cutting blade corresponds to a slot geometry to be generated in a shell of a closure cap blank;   arranging the cutting knife in a first configuration wherein the cutting blade further comprises a first radial position relative to a path of a support mandrel and the support mandrel is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis oriented perpendicularly to a cutting section;   preconditioning the support mandrel by rolling the support mandrel along the cutting blade of the cutting knife in the first configuration;   arranging the cutting knife in a second configuration in which the cutting blade has a second radial position relative to the path of the support mandrel, wherein a radial distance of the cutting blade from a path of the support mandrel is larger in the second position than in the first position;   providing a closure cap blank;   producing a locking ring by generating the slot geometry in the shell of the closure cap blank in a cutting procedure by rolling the shell, supported by the preconditioned support mandrel, along the cutting blade of the stationary cutting knife arranged in the second configuration; and   wherein a rotating movement of the support mandrel takes places so as to be synchronized with an advancing movement of the shell the along the cutting section.